Her mother would tell him because surely he would call to speak with her after he’d read those papers.
She shut away all thoughts of what she stepped in and what crawled over her boots, and kept moving for fear that if she stopped, she’d fall asleep and die down here.
“I will not die.”
However, she would end up that way if she could not locate an exit. Not an easy thing to do with limited vision and no clue as to where she was.
Massaging her aching throat, Beth swallowed. It was tight and sore from Logan’s fingers. Her face ached, and her body hurt all over, but for all that she was alive.
A tapping sound made her slow her steps and press to the wall once more. Last time, a mischief of rats had run by squealing. Beth had swallowed down her scream and they’d run by her.
“’Ere, what are you doing down here?”
Squinting into the dark, Beth searched for the owner of that voice.
“These tunnels belong to Mr. Dodge. He won’t be pleased to find anyone else stealing from him.”
It was a boy’s voice, Beth was sure of it, but he stayed just far enough away that she could not see him, only his shadow.
“I am lost. Please help me get out.”
He made a scoffing sound. “People who speak like you don’t get lost in places like this. You’re not a Tosher, so what are you?”
“Tosher?”
“Scavenger hunters in the sewers,” he replied with impatience. “Who are you?”
“I was kidnapped and thrown down here. A man attempted to kill me, but I escaped.”
The boy was silent for long seconds, and Beth thought if he made a move to leave her, she’d dive at him and wrap her arms around his waist, begging him to take her with him. She crept forward and it was then she saw the three other boys behind him.
“That could be true.”
“It is, and I will pay you all handsomely if you return me to my family or just help me to find an exit.” Desperation rang loud and clear in her voice. “Please,” Beth begged. “Don’t leave me.”
More silence, and then the boy turned and talked in hushed whispers to the others.
“Come on.” They then began to walk away from her. Beth ran.
No one spoke again they just walked at a clip forcing her to hurry to keep up. Weaving their way up and down tunnels, she felt a sliver of hope that they may just be leading her out. But then they could also be leading her to her doom also.
“What are your names?” She wanted them to converse with her, then perhaps he would not leave her—or lure her to an even worse situation than her current one, if that was possible.
“Gil,” the boy she’d talked to grunted.
“Sam.”
“Tid.”
“Penn.”
“I’m Beth.”
They didn’t reply to that and her thoughts, which were already muddled, frozen, and incapable of rationality, led her to believe they were not impressed with her at all.
“I-I can pay you,” she said again.
“You said that,” the one called Gil said.
